In a typical steam piping system, devices are provided for draining steam condensate which accumulates in the steam line as heat is lost from the steam. Such devices generally are well known as exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,209, 4,426,213 and 4,486,208. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,209, the condensate removal device features an orifice plate formed unitarily in the body of a fitting which can be connected directly into the steam line, preferably downstream from a conventional Y-strainer. The small orifice in the plate is required to be drilled of a fixed length and diameter. Thus a multiplicity of variously drilled bodies of fittings are utilized to accommodate variation in steam pressures.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,426,213 and 4,448,208, the disadvantages of the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,209 are overcome by providing the body of the fitting with a fixed length and diameter bore into which a separate tubular nozzle can be installed for constricting fluid flow through the device. The tubular nozzle had a varying internal diameter configuration along its length and a terminal flange formation to correctly position the nozzle in the bore. Interchangeable tubular nozzles could be provided varying in diameter and length of the constriction for service in a range of steam pressures. The body of the device was standard, as was the bore configuration with the nozzle device made available as a separate item. However, once the nozzle was installed, the system was set for a given steam pressure. For a different steam pressure operation, the entire body with the nozzle had to be replaced with a different nozzle installation for accommodating operation for a different steam pressure.